Midlife Crisis
by kelly michelle fox
Summary: Giles doesn't know which direction his life is going, and Buffy's attitude isn't helping. Willow must be the meadiator. *Finished*


Buffy and Chars belong to Joss Whedon and UPN (and or WB).  
  
This was something that I wrote from an inkling about the end of the 4th and beginning of the 5th season of Buffy. Yeah. It was sorta a challenge too. I haven't read this since I wrote it (several years ago), so I apologize if the grammar is deplorable. Please review, they're always fun!  
  
Mid-life Crisis (or catharsis)  
  
  
  
Buffy smiled at Giles, "I told you it wouldn't be a problem."  
  
Giles took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Yes. Yes, you did."  
  
"We've been around each other how long? And you still don't get the fact that I'm the slayer and I can handle it."  
  
"Buffy, there still are things to learn. Just because you're the slayer doesn't make everything peachy. As it is, we've ignored most of your training."  
  
"Giles, what does this got to do with training?"  
  
"Buffy, training isn't just reserved for the body." Giles put his glasses back on and sat on the edge of the couch.  
  
"Oh geez.... I can't believe we're having this conversation again.... I am a big girl now." Buffy turned and stomped into the kitchen.  
  
"You need to hear it, but I don't know why I try," Giles muttered and sat back into the couch. He sighed, "I don't know why I try...."  
  
"Don't take it too hard. Buffy is... Buffy is. Buffy," Willow stated, finally joining the conversation. She sat in the chair adjacent to the couch.  
  
There was a moment of silence. Giles leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Thank you, Willow, but that doesn't solve our problem."  
  
"Buffy did have a point. We did get the job done... We always manage," Willow stated.  
  
"Yes, and this time at unnecessary risk to her, Xander and yourself," Giles snapped, just loud enough for Buffy to overhear. He rose and strode into the kitchen.  
  
"I don't want to hear it," Buffy stated, annoyed.  
  
Giles glared at her and saying nothing, pulled out a bottle of brandy. He poured himself a glass and wandered back into the living room, taking his seat on the couch. Sitting with his glass of brandy in both hands, he brooded. Why do I try? he kept thinking. What good am I doing here? I don't NEED to be here. It's just my damned sense of duty. I'm not even her Watcher anymore.  
  
His thoughts were broken by Buffy. "I'm going to get some sleep. Coming Willow?"  
  
"Yep," Willow said calmly. She stood. As she followed Buffy out the door, she turned back to Giles and said quietly, "Don't stay up too late. You should get some sleep." Her voice quieted even more. "And, Giles, don't drink too much." Willow shut the door behind her.  
  
Giles downed the rest of the brandy and set the glass on the table next to him. He sat back in the couch and let his head rest on the cushion. Staring up at the ceiling, he thought.  
  
Being a naturally light hearted person, not taking anything harsh that Buffy said or did personally usually came rather easy, but it had been quite different lately. Everything seemed strained between the two. A lot had changed in the past year. Sure, everyone was still friends, but the end of high school, beginning of college for Buffy, and the loss of his job had knocked things askew.  
  
"I really hate this bloody country," Giles mumbled to himself.  
  
Maybe I should just go home... go home... The thought seemed like a good idea. But Buffy needs me. He tried to put the thought out of his mind. Wait... Buffy doesn't need me. She said so herself. Maybe, I should leave.  
  
Giles went into the kitchen and brought the whole bottle of brandy to the couch. He filled his glass, and downed it. Setting the bottle and the glass down on the table next to him, he leaned back into the couch again, closing his eyes.  
  
A song, he'd heard many times form Willow's MP3 files on her laptop, came to his mind. He sang the melody in a whisper.  
  
"One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do. Two can be as bad as one. It's the loneliest number since the number one. 'No' is the saddest experience you'll ever know. 'Yes' is the saddest experience you'll ever know. 'Cause one is the loneliest number that you'll ever know. One is the loneliest number, Even worse than two... yeah...  
  
It's just no good anymore Since you went away. Now I spend my time just making rhymes of yesterday. One is the loneliest number One is the loneliest number One is the loneliest number Since you went away."  
  
A sort of depression had sunk in and the alcohol hadn't. He poured another glass and downed it the same as the few before.  
  
He knew that drowning fears and problems was not the answer, but he didn't care. He'd do it anyway. Soon a fuzzy feeling encompassed his entire body. Nothing mattered anymore.  
  
Too drunk to move, Giles fell asleep on the couch, and he spent the night there. ***  
  
Worried about Giles, Willow got up early the next morning. She made her way over to his house before her first class.  
  
She knocked on the door; no one answered. Turning the doorknob, it opened. She pushed it open a crack and peeked in. There was just enough light to allow her to see Giles sprawled out on the couch, asleep. Opening the door wider, she stepped in. On second observation, she noticed the nearly empty brandy bottle on the table next to the couch. The night before it had been full. She shook her head, sighing, and stepped out, quietly shutting the door behind her.  
  
As Willow walked back to campus, she wondered what would make Giles resort to the bottle. He's been drinking a lot more in recent months than ever before. Of course, we never hung out at his house before this year. We were always at the library... A thought struck her. The library... Xander may have been right. It's like a mid-life crisis and Buffy isn't helping any.  
  
Willow quickened her pace. I have to talk to Buffy.  
  
When she reached their dorm room, Buffy was gone. She must have already left for class. I guess this can wait a couple hours. ***  
  
Giles woke. His head throbbed. Pushing himself into a sitting position, the room spun. He laid back down and closed his eyes. All he could think about was getting to the bathroom and retrieving some extra strength Tylenol.  
  
He tried sitting again, and with much effort, he stumbled into the bathroom. Fumbling for the light switch, he finally turned on the light. He blinked. The light hurt almost as much as standing. He grabbed for the Tylenol and flipped off the light.  
  
Wandering into the kitchen, he started the coffee pot. He took the Tylenol. While he was waiting for the coffee to brew, he leaned against the wall. I've got to stop this.  
  
With a hot cup of coffee in hand, he went back to the couch. He looked at the brandy bottle. No wonder I feel like hell. I've got to wake up before the troops come back.  
  
After finishing the coffee and the Tylenol kicked in, Giles felt much better. I have to take a shower. On his way to the bathroom, he disposed of the brandy bottle. ***  
  
Willow sat through her two classes watching the clock. Not that it mattered; she knew everything her professors were lecturing. Sometimes she wondered why she even went; she wasn't even paying for it. But a degree was a degree.  
  
Her mind wandered back to the several times recently that Giles had been drunk, and every time Buffy had been involved. She wondered if it was Buffy or if Giles was just having a bad time. Xander had said that Giles was going through a mid-life crisis. Willow was really starting to wonder if Xander had been right.  
  
When class ended, Willow practically flew out of the classroom. Her mission was to find Buffy, which didn't prove too hard.  
  
Willow found Buffy in the student building. She was sitting in the dining hall eating a salad. Riley was sitting next to her, and they were in deep conversation.  
  
"What are you going to do now that the initiative has been shut down? I know you deserted, but I always figured you'd end up going back," Buffy stated between bites.  
  
"I don't know...." Riley stated. He looked up just in time to see Willow approach the table. "Hi, Willow."  
  
"Will, have a seat," Buffy said, moving her bag to the floor.  
  
Willow sat down slowly, letting her bag slide to the floor. "Buffy, I need to talk to you."  
  
"Ok, I'm all ears," Buffy replied and took the last bite of her salad. She washed it down with some Diet Coke.  
  
Willow watched her put the can on the table, and then turned her attention to Buffy. "Um.... It's kind of important."  
  
"Oh, I understand," Riley said and stood to leave.  
  
Buffy put out her hand. "No, wait," she said to Riley and turned to Willow. "What's it about?"  
  
Willow glanced at Riley, then at Buffy. She hesitated. "Giles," she stated.  
  
"Riley, please sit," Buffy said. He did as she asked. "What about him, Will?"  
  
"I'm worried about him. He's been really depressed lately. He hasn't quite been himself. He's been serious..... Well, he's always been serious, but it's different now. He used to be fun and serious, but now he's not," Willow paused and thought over what she'd just said. "Yeah..." Finished, she waited for Buffy to respond.  
  
"Will, I think you worry too much."  
  
"No, it's true..." she paused, not wanting to say what she was thinking. Finally, she just blurted it out. "He got drunk again last night."  
  
Buffy thought for a moment. Riley sat quietly, a little uncomfortable. Buffy looked at him. "What do you think?"  
  
"Me?" Riley asked, a little surprised that she'd ask for his input. "...I don't know Giles that well. I think your opinion is the one that should matter."  
  
"Buffy, what if what Xander said is true? What if Giles is going through a mid-life crisis?"  
  
"A mid-life crisis? No way..." Buffy said. "Xander was just saying that because he thought it was weird that Giles was singing. That's all."  
  
"No, Buffy, look at the facts. His life's destiny was messed up. He's jobless, with nothing to do... And don't get mad at me, but you haven't been really supportive lately. You're the only reason he's here."  
  
Buffy stared at Willow. "You're serious, aren't you? You think he's really having problems."  
  
"Why would I say it if I didn't think it. Giles is just as important to me as he is you. He's important to all of us. We're the Scooby gang."  
  
"Ok, so if he's really going through a mid-life crisis, then what are we supposed to do?"  
  
"Buffy, first, I'd try and let him know that we do need him around here and that we're not just wasting his time." Willow stood. "I'm going over there."  
  
"I'll come," Buffy stated and grabbed for her bag.  
  
"I don't think I should come along," Riley said.  
  
"Good thinkin'" Buffy said and put a hand on Riley's shoulder affectionately. "See ya!"  
  
Willow and Buffy walked side by side down the street.  
  
"I'm going to apologize," Buffy stated.  
  
"Good... but you might not want to mention the drunk thing," Willow said. "He doesn't know that I know."  
  
Standing on the front porch, Buffy paused before she knocked. Moments later, Giles opened the door. He blinked as the sunlight burst into the din of the living room. He did look a little for the worse, even though he'd cleaned up, and Buffy noticed immediately. She glanced at Willow with a 'you weren't kidding' look on her face.  
  
It took Giles' eyes a moment to adjust to the light. "Willow, Buffy," he stated.  
  
"Hey.... Giles..." Buffy said. "Can I talk to you?"  
  
"Of course," Giles said and let them inside. The room was so dark that neither Buffy nor Willow could see, especially coming in from the sunlight.  
  
Giles walked over the window and dared to open the blinds. It still hurt his head, but he figured he could live through it. Then he went over and sat on the couch. Willow had already taken the chair, and Buffy was sitting on the bookcase dividing the room.  
  
"So..." Giles stated.  
  
Buffy glanced at Willow, who nodded her on. "I thought about it.... I wanted to come over and apologize for last night..." She put on her best English accent, and imitating Giles said, "And you were CLEARLY right and I was CLEARLY wrong."  
  
Giles smirked. Buffy did have a way of lightening up a serious conversation. He leaned back in the couch. Knowing she had more to say, he waited for her to continue.  
  
"I hope you do know that I appreciate what you do.... stickin' around here. We all do," Buffy finished. Willow nodded in agreement.  
  
Giles smiled. He didn't know what had spawned it, but was going to accept it and not ask questions. "Why, thank you, Buffy. That's nice of you. And I do accept your apology."  
  
Buffy and Willow smiled at each other.  
  
One small step, Willow thought. We got a ways to go to get this back together, but at least it's a start.  
  
*-fin- * 


End file.
